The Miami Heat coaching setup is arguably the most sophisticated in the league. Erik Spoelstra is the second-longest tenured coach in the league after Gregg Popovich, earning his job by keeping the Heat competitive. Even when his rosters are weak, Spoelstra finds a way to make players useful, which has prompted a belief that Heat role-players that Miami is letting go of shouldn’t be signed, according to Eric Pincus.
“There’s a truism in the NBA scouting world: Don’t sign Heat role players. If Miami is letting them go, it’s for a reason—and they tend to over-perform for coach Erik Spoelstra.”
This example was shared while discussing Gabe Vincent’s injury-ridden start to the season. Vincent was a crucial contributor for the Heat in their 2023 Finals run but has been unable to stay healthy for the Lakers. He’s averaged 5.4 points and 3.0 assists in five games, not good enough for someone who wants to be a starting point guard.
The Lakers faced a similar situation during the year-and-a-half stint for Kendrick Nunn on the franchise, spending most of his first season with the franchise injured before being traded mid-season last year for Rui Hachimura. Nunn is already out of the league and playing in Europe.
Spoelstra finds a way to put players in the right positions to perform specialized roles in a way no other coach has. While ‘Heat Culture‘ plays a huge role in the same, all of it works because Spoelstra is a tactical savant.
Signing Heat Players Comes With A Risk
When we look at some recent examples of former Heat players around the league, we can see that this theory isn’t necessarily 100% accurate. The Lakers have been burned twice, first with the Nunn signing and this season with the Vincent signing.
The Cavaliers stole Max Strus from Miami in the summer to be their starting wing. Strus is averaging 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, an increase from his numbers with the Heat last season. However, efficiency has dropped across the board, indicating that a bigger role doesn’t necessarily show an improvement in skill.
Josh Richardson was the face of the Miami Heat for a few years between the Jimmy Butler signing and Chris Bosh’s untimely retirement. Richardson struggled to find a home outside Miami, playing poorly in Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston, and New Orleans before returning to the Heat this summer.
A positive example of a former Heat role-player finding success elsewhere is Derrick Jones Jr., who’s averaging career-high numbers this season. With his 10.3 points and 3.8 rebounds, Jones Jr. may be one of the few exceptions to the rule, but it took him a few seasons after leaving Miami to find this form.
The Heat couldn’t add major reinforcements this summer, letting players like Strus and Voncent walk to have flexibility in acquiring a superstar. They didn’t land a superstar but easily replaced their outgoing players with cheaper finds internally. The Heat’s record of 20-15 is proof that this team can find winning players whenever they need,
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